Wednesday 30 June 2021

Gramma Camp – Week 32.2

 The morning didn't bode well. Dark, and it looked like rain.


It's been in the 30s (C.) and really hot. We can't complain, as we've an air conditioner. Our kids out west in Vancouver have had 41 C. temperatures. Only about 40% of people there have air conditioning. 

In B.C., things are really heating up. Lytton reported a temperature of 47.9 C.
Grampa began the day by going for a walk in town. The bugs here are biting through his bug suit.

I've been doing some advocating. I noticed that a CBC story about the LDD moths had the word 'gypsy' in its title. I checked it out, and sent a Twitter message to one of the co-authors of the story. Language is important. They changed the title, and added the information about the slant of the name.


 Our cedar waxwing squadron are still doing their thing.

 


Isabelle and I spotted the doe on the hill, just prior to our swim on Monday. It's fun watching nature with them. We talked about deer in their backyard in Bell's Corners. They are near a wild area. doe a deer  

 

Tuesday

Josephine was up at 8:45, she went to wake her sister! No response. I went down the hall, opened Isabelle's window blind, and stood staring at her. She's pulled this one before. Suddenly, she opened her eyes up, really wide, thinking she could scare me again. Not this time!

After breakfast there was indoor reading time. Our septic tank was being emptied. It was a good place to be. Grampa took the car in to have the A/C fixed. 

Jos finished a book she began reading the day before. It's 438 pages! In two days. They are voracious readers. Isabelle did some art, while listening to music.




Grampa took them into Stewart Park for walkies.  


There are LDD caterpillars on the trees. They are beginning to pupate.

It's a lovely park!

They came home and took off down to the basement for video time. I was on the back deck reading, when Isabelle popped her head out the door, "Gramma, we need some technical help!" Between the three of us we figured out how to reconnect the DVD to the TV. It was touch and go for a bit. Isabelle said they should play a drinking game! Everytime they said the name, Jean, they should take a drink! They were watching a video they've seen before and the character is always calling out for Jean. They were drinking water.

Grampa went into town to order hamburgers from a chip wagon. He phoned. I couldn't hear him. I phoned him back. It went to voicemail. Then he phoned me back. They were closed, as their potato peeler was broken. I suggested pizza. It'd be 20 minutes. I phoned to place the order and somehow put it on mute. I phoned back. I called JB back and said we were good to go and could he get me a bottle of wine. It was 5:58 and the lights were off in the liquor store. They were closed, too. 

🍕Dinner was fine. Thankfully. Mind you, I realized I took my pills meant for Wednesday, and this was Tuesday. What chaos!

After dinner, Isabelle thought she'd climb a tree, now that the crows have fledge, but there were waaaay to many bugs! She hustled back indoors. She was being swarmed. Josephine practiced her French Horn.

What a day!

Tuesday 29 June 2021

Gramma Camp _Week 32.1 Monday

 

I created a plan.  I texted it to Jos and Momma ,and they approved. (Isabelle never answers her messages!!!!) I know Jos spent her first day of vacation in her solarium reading, so we won't schedule the day too much. They really hung in after a few blips over the school year.

I used to have a lot of special education students integrated in my classrooms. I would often put our work for the day (Language Arts and Math) on the board, and let the kids tackle it as they saw fit. The faster ones would finish and then read, or do artwork. They would help the ones who need support, if they chose to do so. It gave them some freedom and independence, as well as choices. I would leave the math text up on my teaching podium, and the student who was done first in the group of four would check their work. They were responsible for checking the other kids' work. They would help those having difficulty if I was busy. It was so sweet. 



Sunday night, after dinner, we watched a Border Security episode for posterity. It was funny. The ads are the best part, though. Apparently, they watched previous episodes of Loki, and the parental unit has strict orders NOT to watch it until they got home!

Next, America's Got Talent, which we'd taped and saved for them. There are some funny acts, some gruesome, some poignant ones, as well. Isabelle really liked the choir. It was moving, she thought. "I like Gramma Camp, where we can watch uplifting people!"

Usually, if it isn't a school week, the girls sleep together downstairs on the queen-sized mattress. Grampa made a decision to keep Isabelle in the upstairs room, to save my energy going up and down stairs at night, assuring lights were off and girls were sleeping.  They do tend to talk!

Monday

The girls have been wonderful, offering to help with lots, dishes in the dishwasher, etc. I saw Izzy stirring around 7 a.m., and she slept in a tad after that. She chose waffles for breakfast, and went downstairs in her new hoodie. She thought Jos might sleep in until 10, so I suggested she open Josee's curtain downstairs.

Iz had breakfast out front.
She put on her new hoodie, 'women in science.'


Breakfast done, Jos sketched, Izzy sketched and then read. Jos did some reading. 
 Later, Izzy helped me clean the pool. The dead leaves from the LDD caterpillars have been flying in the winds. She helped put some pool salt in the pool. It was warm, so Isabelle put on her suit, then blew up her pool toy. She didn't get any deeper than her waist. The well water is so cold!

Cinnamon looking cute, 
while Izzy and I did some outdoor chores.

We had a lovely chat on the bench swing. She is a fascinating font of facts about birds, and the differences between male and female colouring. "Gramma, did you know...?" 


Isabelle did her Diamond Dotz for awhile.


Outside, Isabelle and I talked about the eastern comma butterfly.

I didn't tell them about our tree frog.

It looks like this tree is growing new leaves after the LDD caterpillars stripped it. Thursday vs. Monday.


Grampa had an idea. How about they go find some videos, and then go for a walk by the canal. 


They came home, quite warm, and Izzy and I went for a swim. Jos declined.

Momma robin is a bit worried, but she's doing well. They ought to hatch July 7th. Isabelle told me that often 2nd broods don't do so well. Then we skewed the conversation to having lots of kids. In the old days it'd wear women out.

Josephine practiced her French Horn. We totally forgot about her 4 p.m. virtual lesson. Dang! Momma phoned, and reminded her. Whew. Izzy and I were lounging in the pool at the time.

Otherwise, a great day, had by all. I konked out by 10, barely able to keep my eyes open! 

Monday 28 June 2021

Gramma Camp – Week 32 Sunday Awards Night

 

It's official! With day camps closed, the girls are stuck with us! I think they like the change in venue, so we'll try to have some fun. It's going to be a hot week. 

We've a busy week for home maintenance. We're getting the big jobs done before our new driveway is put in in late July. Pumping of the septic tank, chimney cleaning, repair of the car air conditioner, inspection and cleaning of the house air conditioner and furnace.  

I went downstairs to bring up my clean, dry laundry. I dare not put it out with the bugs these days. I took my camera, in order to grab a photo of the robin on the nest. The bird wasn't there. Cinnamon was. Grabbing the photo, below, I dashed out and plucked him off. He was dumped unceremoniously in the Muskoka Room.

I knew what to do. Flashing, just like around the wood duck nesting boxes. I found the heavy duty stapler, briefly thinking I ought to grab the staple refills, but shook that thought off. duH. Beginning my work, of course I ran out of staples! Back into the garage, but of course the case was not there. I took the stapler with me in order to remember that which I sought. (My deteriorating brain cells!) Into the house. Not there. Down into the basement. Yes, it was there in my toolbox. I even remembered to take the stapler back with me. Ta Da!


They are here! The hostage exchange went well and they were home by 4:30. I put dinner in the oven. Josephine has virtual French Horn lessons on Mondays. 

After dinner (tourtière, cooked peas and carrots), the girls were sent to the living room until we were ready for the event. Grampa brought the surprise cakes in and lit the candles. One for each girl, and they will last all week.

The girls were escorted back into the dining room with the helicopter/school bus for the last time, Grampa making the whoop-whoop sounds for the last time this year.

There were graduation cards, and both girls burned themselves on the candles. Sigh. (Cold water bath is the remedy!)

Shoeless Joe presented some of his traditional knock-knock jokes. Then, the awards were presented.

The awards were fun, and included treats. 

1. Isabelle received an award for "advanced physics experimentation for proving a cloaking device." One Friday, on her to our car to load it up, she walked right by the car and went into the garage. 
2. Josephine received an award for "advanced physics for work on concept of absolute zero in relation to temperature variation in a normal spectrum." She declared that it's not that it is cold, but it is the absence of heat.
3. Isabelle received another award for "biomatter experimentation for disbursement and separation of organic matter from a solid object." (She cleans her dessert place very, very well!
4.Josee's award for "historical large creative ordering for naming of relics on low surface dimensions." She is continually challenging her sister to name all the dinosaurs on her placemat.
5. My award was for "support, encouragement and all round stories!" They both like my Gramma Stories!
6. Josephine announced her Grampa's award orally, for entertainment director, etc. It was very touching, and a big hug ensued.


grad awards from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.